Author Topic: Central Florida Mango Trees  (Read 4805 times)

yoski

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Central Florida Mango Trees
« on: June 03, 2020, 09:24:44 AM »
I was surprised to find some rather large Mango trees in central Florida (Highlands county, 80 miles south of Orlando). Most of them are multi-stemmed as they died back at some point in the past due to frost. The specimen in the picture is located in Sebring near the south-east shores of lake Jackson. Judging by its size it must have been there at least 50+ years. That means it must have survived the hard freezes of 1977 and during the 1980s. There are also several large Mango tree south of Lake Placid along US-27. Any other large Mango trees in central Florida that you know of? Seeing this long term survivor I was encouraged to start my own Mango orchard. They made it through their first winter without any problems as temperatures never got down to freezing.


johnb51

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2020, 09:40:36 AM »
You probably won't have to worry about bad freezes in winter anymore as temperatures have trended warmer.  That should be make your part of Florida good for mangos, avocados, and lychees going forward. 
John

BohicaBob

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2020, 10:56:01 AM »
There are a number of large mango trees in several micro-climates in the metro Orlando areas in fact, like Winter Park for example and Windermere for another.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2020, 03:02:31 PM by BohicaBob »

TnTrobbie

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2020, 12:37:27 PM »
I've seen a couple of huge ones (40+ yr old) in Winter Haven (Polk County).
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yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2020, 12:58:14 PM »
I guess near large bodies of water (Winter Park, Winter Haven, Lake Placid) they have a better chance withstanding the occasional mid 20s temperatures if they don't get hit too early in their lives. Post some pictures if you can.

C24mccain

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2020, 07:12:57 PM »
I have seen some large ones throughout Lakeland. It seems I-4 is a boundary line as if I travel north  from here I haven't seen any decent sized mango trees. At least this seems to be the case here in the Lakeland area.

Scotthomestead

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2020, 11:45:36 AM »
I live in Avon Park and spotting mango trees as I’m driving is a bit of a hobby of mine( my wife’s is yelling at me to keep my eyes on the road) I’ve spoken to several old timers in AP and there are a ton of old mango trees in this area. There is one near US 27 and Hwy 17 that is the biggest mango tree I’ve ever seen. The owner dose not know what type it is but they are delicious and he says the tree was there 50 years ago when his family purchased the property. It’s so good I’ve grafted it and have 3 of them for myself and have grafted it to some trees for family. Memorial drive has several trees that are as big as live oaks as well.

yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2020, 02:38:36 PM »
"There is one near US 27 and Hwy 17 that is the biggest mango tree I’ve ever seen." Do you remember the exact location? Do you mean 17A truck route & US-27?

Scotthomestead

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2020, 03:49:36 PM »
Yes, it’s right on beach of lake Brentwood.

JulianoGS

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2020, 05:18:14 PM »
To be able to plant mango trees in the ground, is Tampa area the northern most part of Florida that is able to?  Orlando gets too cold?
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bci801

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2020, 08:33:51 PM »
Haven't had a freeze in Apollo Beach  in years.   I have more problems with the wind, like Cristobal, taking the fruit off before it is ripe.

johnb51

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2020, 08:48:48 PM »
To be able to plant mango trees in the ground, is Tampa area the northern most part of Florida that is able to?  Orlando gets too cold?
There are forum members in Orlando growing mangos.
John

yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2020, 04:55:41 PM »
To be able to plant mango trees in the ground, is Tampa area the northern most part of Florida that is able to?  Orlando gets too cold?
Thanks, I will have a look this weekend.

Tropheus76

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2020, 06:34:33 PM »
There are alot of big trees in Orlando. My biggest is about 8 feet tall but very bushy thanks to that freeze a couple years back. It is definitely doable.

irun5k

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #14 on: June 19, 2020, 10:58:27 PM »
There is/was a small commercial grower in Winter Haven, I believe.  They were selling at the St. Pete Saturday Morning Market a few years ago and I spoke to them for a bit.  They were near a body of water and said they've been successful, no issues with temps, etc.

Here in Pinellas County, mango trees are everywhere.  In our neighborhood near the bay (Old Northeast) just about every block has last least one. Some are giant and I'm sure are easily 25+ years old.  Our winters are warmer than Tampa but you'll find trees over there as well. 

johnb51

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2020, 12:35:22 PM »
There you go.  Mango trees in Orlando, Winter Haven, Tampa, and St. Pete/Clearwater.  That must be the northern boundary.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2020, 12:46:32 PM by johnb51 »
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bovine421

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2020, 12:28:35 PM »
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yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #17 on: June 11, 2021, 10:41:12 AM »
Another big Mango tree in Sebring FL, just south of Dinner Lake. Most Mangos around here are multi-stem, b/c they were killed back to the root during a freeze. This one survived all the cold we had n the 1980s.


3rdgrey

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2021, 11:42:38 AM »
Im in Okeechobee.  We had a freeze this year.  Killed several of my plants and servely damaged some of my mango trees. They are still recovering. Dont count your chickens until they hatch! We might have another freeze this year/next. Fruit punch, rapoza and phillipine did not fair well in the cold. Had to cut them way down or dig them up. Those really big old trees can handle it. Many around lake O.

johnb51

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2021, 02:40:14 PM »
Im in Okeechobee.  We had a freeze this year.  Killed several of my plants and servely damaged some of my mango trees. They are still recovering. Dont count your chickens until they hatch! We might have another freeze this year/next. Fruit punch, rapoza and phillipine did not fair well in the cold. Had to cut them way down or dig them up. Those really big old trees can handle it. Many around lake O.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2021, 06:51:23 PM by johnb51 »
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3rdgrey

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2021, 04:25:13 PM »
No florida vortex, just winter time. Florida, if u don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes.

yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #21 on: June 14, 2021, 12:08:38 PM »
We had some light frost this year (Sebring, east shore of lake Jackson). The Mamey showed some slight leaf burn. Mangos, Avocados, Nispero/Sapodilla, Lychees and Longans were fine ad didn't show any damage.

Galatians522

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #22 on: June 16, 2021, 08:42:58 PM »
Sadly, the old mango tree in the first picture in this post has been cut down. It was likely close to 100 years old. What the freezes couldn't do, a chainsaw did.  :-\

yoski

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #23 on: June 22, 2021, 12:35:40 PM »
It was cut down about 2 month after I took the picture. It was not a grafted tree, but the fruit was pretty good with an apple like flavor. It was probably planted in the early 1920s when the area was first developed.

Galatians522

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Re: Central Florida Mango Trees
« Reply #24 on: June 22, 2021, 09:04:14 PM »
A lot of mango, avocado, and lychee trees were planted around town back then. I was told by a long time resident of Sebring that when he was a kid, "You couldn't spit without hitting a mango tree."